Mad Alacrán
by hartfairy
Summary: Cecilia Alacrán has lived all her life in a remote mansion. One day, a curse is cast, breaking what little remaining family she had. She has to set out, save her father, and set herself free.


"Papa?" Cecilia knocked rapidly on the hard wooden door. It was cold, and her feet hurt against the cold stone floor, but there was no way she would go back to her bedroom. She was frightened, about as stubborn as her mother, and about as head-strong. And so the door opened.

Her father was a man with short black hair and deep brown eyes. He was fairly tall, and always wore a big leather coat. She never knew why, but it was familiar and pleasing to her sight. It always smelled nice.

"Cecilia...you know you're not supposed to be down here." Her father spoke in a very calm, but intimidating voice. Cecilia shivered. "I-I just couldn't sleep papa. And I don't want to go back to bed! And you can't make me!" She stood stiffly and stuck her chin up at her father.

Cecilia loved her father more than anything. But she was always defiant, rebellious, and over all, a troublemaker. Oh she was smart, but she never wanted to show anyone. And it wasn't like there was anyone to show. She lived alone in this mansion, besides her father and the maid...and her little Cat named Nombre. Her father always went away for a while, maybe even a day's time. She missed her father then, and she hated the job that was keeping him from her.

Her father suddenly picked Cecilia up into his arms, and started carrying her into her room. She kicked and screamed, but eventually he laid her safely onto the bed. "Mi Vida, please...I know it is rough for you, but try to get some sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow, since we have-"

"-Mama's grave to visit?" Cecilia asked, her eyes and tone of voice showing obvious disappointment in having to go back to bed, and sorrow of being reminded of her deceased mother.

"Sí. Now please...try to go to bed. If I get back soon enough maybe I can read you a bedtime story when I get back." Cecilia nodded and gave him a sad smile before he kissed her forehead goodnight, and left. Closing the door with the small creak it always made.

When he left, Cecilia immediately left her bed and started rummaging around her room. The room was dark and cold, and immediately she saw a family picture of her father and her mother on their wedding. Her father was clad in a formal black tuxedo, and her mother wore a festive dress adorned with jewels, and these red flowers Cecilia knew were poppies.

Her mother looked so happy. More so than last time Cecilia saw her. Cecilia grew a pain in her chest. "I miss you mama..." She whispered softly, barely breaking the barrier of silence. "I sometimes wonder...maybe if I was never born...maybe you would be alive."

Cecilia gently set the picture down with care. It was one of the only pictures surprisingly. Her father didn't allow Cecilia much technology. She liked her dolls and wooden soldiers, and from what she saw in the magazine, she liked that she never got any. Her father told her it would spoil her and make her evil, and she wanted to stay good. Her father also told her about the stories of an evil boy and the Horrors of the Outside World. Of course it never scared Cecilia away from the outside, but things outside the safety of the mansion sounded horrible. She had books, dolls, and toys, and all sorts of old trinkets.

History was Cecilia's favorite thing to learn about from her father. He told her about strange devices that use plankton, how people used to sail overseas, and the stories of old shogun and samurai. She learned all about the world, not just Aztlán, and not just the current century. And she wanted to see it all.

"Momma?" She asked the picture. "Do you think papa might ever let me go?"

She sighed sadly and sat down on her room's floor. She remembered the good old days when they were a family. Of course there was Lucia, the maid, but her mother was alive, her father happy, and a smile on Cecilia's face.

* * *

"_Vestido bonito...agua azul. Flores de color rosa para recoger..._"

"You sing just like Celia, mi hija!"

The two were calmly sitting outside in the green grass. (In their backyard.) Cecilia looked up at her father with confusion. "But papa, **I'm** Cecilia! How can I sound like her if I am her?"

Matt softly pulled his daughter in for a hug. "Ah, mi hija, you were partially named after her. Celia was my mother. And she would be so so proud of you." Cecilia liked the sound of this woman. If she was a momma to such a great father, she must be a great person. "Papa she is my abuelita? When can I meet her?!" She asked happily.

"Alas, no Cecilia. She went to heaven long ago, because of a mistake I made. She is happy there though. She is with the Virgin Mary, so do not fret."

Cecilia frowned at this. She would have loved for another person besides Lucia to be there. Cecilia looked up at the sky and smiled. The pretty white clouds slowly swam along the blue sky. It made Cecillia feel happy to know such a great woman was in heaven.

"My, did I miss the performance?"

Cecilia turned to see her mother, María. She had long black hair and a frilly white cotton dress. "Mama!" Cecilia ran up to her mother and hugged her. "Me and papa played all day! It was so fun! Mama! Mama! Mama!"

"Calm down Cecilia!" María chirped. "We'll be able to play more today!" Cecilia burrowed her head into her mother's dress and wouldn't come out. All three laughed, and had a good time. They started to play tag. After a while, all three got tired, flopped on the grass, tired and hungry. María's stomach growled loudly. "Oh? We all must be famished! I think I should all cook us food and also your favorite, gazpacho!"

Cecilia gave a shriek of approvement and walked along with her mother and father.

* * *

"Those days were perfect..." Cecilia whispered. "I wish Lucia never came here, I wish we could have stopped those men from hurting you."

Wishing was all the same, but she knew wishes were never granted. She knew when he went outside, he did something...something evil...bad...but, she loved her father. And so convinced herself that he only did what she had read in books. He was into Opium, which her father said made them have a huge house.

The book she had read was one she had snuck from her mother's room. It was one of the many books her mother forbade her to read. It was by Esperanza Mendoza. The way she had described Opium was horrible. She didn't even know what Eejits were, but she didn't want to find out. The book described death, slavery, years of torment, all caused by a man named El Patron. But surely her father wasn't like that. He was kind, generous, and he would never hurt those people.

"He wouldn't..." Cecilia whispered to herself, and sat by the cracked glass figurine of the Virgin Mary. "Or...at least I hope he wouldn't..."

Just then, before she could utter another word, the room grew shockingly cold. It seeped through her clothes, making her skin feel pins and needles. She shook her head wondering if the air conditioning was broken. She sat there until she could take no more, and finally jumped into her bed to keep warm. The blanket felt soft and comforting, it made her feel so safe and secure. Her eyelids felt heavy and then she drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, someone let out a bloodcurdling scream. Cecilia sat up instantly. It was a man's, her father's!

"Papa!" She burst out of bed, ran out her door. Not aware of the danger that lie ahead.


End file.
